5 August 2008: Trustees report the above-mentioned investments to the board of directors.

January 2009: After the board of directors votes five-to-two to make restorative payments to the plan, Demoulas Super Markets Inc pays $46m into the profit-sharing plan to replace the money lost on the Fannie and Freddie investments.

April 2009: Arthur S Demoulas’ side of the family files a lawsuit about the Fannie and Freddie investments, alleging that Arthur T Demoulas, current Market Basket CEO, and the two trustees of the plan, William Marsden and D Harold Sullivan, “knowingly caused the plan to be in violation of the plan’s investment policy”. The family also files a lawsuit against the board of directors for not taking action against the trustees “despite ample evidence that the trustees knowingly violated” the rules.

4 September 2013: The “We are Market Basket” website is created. The first post is a pdf of a deposition given by a Market Basket employee, Joe Rockwell, about a July 2013 visit from Arthur S, during which Arthur S mentions future plans to fire and replace Arthur T.

25 November 2013: The board of directors begins a selection process for new investment advisors for the profit-sharing plan.

April 2014: William Marsden, former trustee of the profit-sharing plan, pens a letter to the board asking for clarification as to why he was removed as the trustee of the profit-sharing plan.

18 July 2014: We are Market Basket organizes its first rally to bring back Arthur T. In a post to their customers, the organizers write: “We would love for any and all of you to be at our side.”

20 July 2014: The board of directors confirms that it has let go of some employees, including Paulenka, Trainor, Gordon and Lacourse. “Their actions continued to harm the company, negatively impacted customers, and inhibited associates’ ability to perform their jobs,’’ was the official line.

1 August 2014: The eight terminated employees announce that they will be suing Market Basket. “We feel like we were wrongfully terminated for speaking out with our right to organize,” says Tom Trainor, one of the fired employees.

3 August 2014: Arthur T issues a statement that he is ready to return to work immediately “in advance of the completion of the stock purchase” if his bid were to be accepted. In order to stabilize and begin to restore the business, he would bring back his full team, according to his spokesperson.

8 August 2014: The board of directors says that they have invited Arthur T to rejoin the company, but not as a CEO. Arthur T declines the offer.

8 August 2014: Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick pens a letter to Market Basket board of directors urging them to find a prompt resolution. “[Y]our failure to resolve this matter is not only hurting the company’s brand and business, but also many innocent and relatively powerless workers whose livelihoods depend on you.”

9 August 2014: Arthur S issues a statement noting that he is willing to sell to Arthur T – and provide a loan on his own terms. He adds, however, that Arthur T’s “conduct to date” undermines Market Basket.

10-11 August 2014: Arthur T issues a statement that he does “not believe that a war of press releases and statements is helpful to this very serious situation” and that he doesn’t want to negotiate in the press. The three independent members of the Market Basket board of directors issue a statement asking workers and customers to come back. “It is time to get everyone back to work. We must end this zero sum game and act in the best interest of our associates, customers – and in the end, our company,” they write.